NEWS

Internationally renowned publisher Humanoids announced today HARD BARGAIN, their first original graphic novel debut from acclaimed ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Spartacus’ filmmaker Steven S. DeKnight with artist Leno Carvalho, colorist Bruno Hang, and letterer Troy Peteri. In this dark supernatural thriller, a detective races to solve a deadly mystery in the heart of Los Angeles before a horrific fate descends upon everyone it touches. Available August 2024. 

Frank Harding is a hard-boiled P.I. in 1940’s Los Angeles who finds himself fighting not only the usual cadre of criminals and ne’er-do-wells, but also the occasional demon and other malevolent supernatural beings. While fighting the forces of darkness is another day at the office for Frank, his current case, tied into his own past and L.A.’s all-too-real history of prejudice and discrimination, may be the one that puts Frank out of business…for good.

“HARD BARGAIN has been a dream thirty years in the making. An idea that sprang from my love of two-fisted, hard-boiled detective stories and matinee creature-features of days gone by,” said DeKnight. “I’m thrilled to finally have that dream realized via the incredible artwork of Leno Carvalho and the good people at Humanoids.”

Steven S. DeKnight attended the University of California at Santa Cruz where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and went on to earn an M.F.A. in playwriting from UCLA. He got his start in the entertainment industry as a staff writer on the groundbreaking television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He went on to become a writer, director, and producer for the series Angel, Smallville, and Dollhouse before creating and showrunning Spartacus for the premium cable channel Starz. After Spartacus, DeKnight served as executive producer and showrunner of season one of the acclaimed Marvel/Netflix series Daredevil. He made his feature directorial debut with Pacific Rim: Uprising, the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s international hit. He is currently in production on the Spartacus spinoff series House of Ashur for Lionsgate and Starz. 

"HARD BARGAIN is a new universe of possibilities with new challenges and new rewards,” said Carvalho. “A strong, concise narrative rich in twists and turns that combines the charm of old detective stories with the action-packed thrillers of today."

Leno Carvalho is a Brazilian comic artist and illustrator best known for his realistic and detailed style. Throughout his career, Carvalho has worked with multiple publishers on projects such as Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen Special at DC Comics, Dean Koontz’s Nevermore and Bionic Woman at Dynamite Comics, The Rift at Red 5 Comics, Crusaders at Soleil, The Source at Scout Comics, as well as his latest work on Les Chevaliers Ténèbres for Kamiti Éditions.When he is not at his desk drawing, he can be found in the kitchen eating or making cakes.

HARD BARGAIN will be available in bookstores everywhere (bookshop.org)  and in comic shops (comicshoplocator.com) in August 2024. Digital copies can be purchased on all major digital comics platforms.